Shows
AI Trailblazers PodcastFrank Defesche Breaks Down the AI Revolution in Pharma (and What Comes Next)What does the future of AI in life sciences really look like—beyond the hype?In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, we sit down with Frank Defesche, SVP & GM of Health & Life Sciences at Salesforce, to unpack the seismic shifts happening at the intersection of AI, pharma, CRM, and compliance.Frank shares insights from decades of leadership—from helping build Veeva, to leading Salesforce's Life Sciences strategy today. We explore how AI agents are transforming engagement models, what life sciences companies can learn from the Takeda partnership, and why now is the moment to r...2025-06-1328 minAI Trailblazers PodcastUpdesh Dosanjh on Reimagining Drug Safety: Why AI Is No Longer OptionalIn this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, we’re joined by Updesh Dosanjh, Global Lead for Pharmacovigilance Technology Solutions at IQVIA, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming drug safety at a global scale.Updesh shares why traditional pharmacovigilance (PV) methods simply can’t keep up with today’s data volume—and how generative AI, automation, and platform thinking are helping PV teams shift from reactive to proactive safety management.🔍 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ Why AI is no longer optional in pharmacovigilance✅ How GenAI is streamlining signal detection...2025-05-2234 minAI Trailblazers PodcastHow UChicago Medicine Is Reskilling for the AI Era—with CMO Andy ChangIn this episode, we sit down with Andy Chang, Chief Marketing Officer at UChicago Medicine, to explore how one of the nation’s leading academic health systems is preparing its teams for an AI-driven future.Andy shares how UChicago Medicine is embracing AI and automation to modernize patient engagement, marketing, and growth strategies—while making sure its people stay at the center of the transformation.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why reskilling in AI and data literacy is critical for healthcare teamsHow UChicago Medicine is moving beyond outdated tools like fax an...2025-05-0231 minAI Trailblazers PodcastInside “Health Chain”: How Baptist Health and Salesforce Built the Future of Healthcare Supply Chains with AIIn this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, we sit down with George Godfrey, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Baptist Health South Florida, to explore how AI, automation, and Salesforce came together to transform healthcare’s most overlooked power center: the supply chain.George shares the behind-the-scenes story of Health Chain—an AI-enabled CRM solution that started at Baptist and is now scaling nationally. He walks us through how their team reduced backorder resolution times from 64 days to just 9, cut invoice processing delays, and redefined ROI across the organization.🔍 In this episode, you’ll...2025-04-2233 minAI Trailblazers PodcastDon’t Fear the Regulator: Marilyn McDonald on Turning Constraints into AI StrategyIn this episode of AI Trailblazers, we sit down with Marilyn McDonald—product leader, Moderna alum, and co-founder of Yokai Labs—to unpack how the best AI strategies in healthcare are often born from tight regulatory constraints.Key takeaways:✅ How Moderna scaled its COVID response✅ Why compliance isn’t a blocker—it’s a design opportunity✅ How to build AI that solves “the stuff that sucks”✅ The magic wand test: why every AI project should start with a real human problemMarilyn brings a rare blend of...2025-04-0232 minAI Trailblazers PodcastDon’t Fear the Regulator: Marilyn McDonald on Turning Constraints into AI StrategyIn this episode of AI Trailblazers, we sit down with Marilyn McDonald—product leader, Moderna alum, and co-founder of Yokai Labs—to unpack how the best AI strategies in healthcare are often born from tight regulatory constraints.Key takeaways:✅ How Moderna scaled its COVID response✅ Why compliance isn’t a blocker—it’s a design opportunity✅ How to build AI that solves “the stuff that sucks”✅ The magic wand test: why every AI project should start with a real human problemMarilyn brings a rare blend of product disci...2025-04-0232 minAI Trailblazers PodcastJohanna DeYoung on AI Agents – The New Workforce in Healthcare🚀 AI agents are transforming healthcare—are you ready?In this episode of AI Trailblazers, we sit down with Johanna DeYoung, Global Industry Lead for Healthcare & Life Sciences at Slalom, to explore how AI agents are reshaping the healthcare workforce, driving efficiency, and unlocking new possibilities.🔹 What AI agents are—and why they matter for healthcare🔹 How AI is redefining workforce roles and automating complex tasks🔹 Why 90% of healthcare data goes unused—and how AI can fix it🔹 The biggest AI-driven disruptions coming to healthcare & life sciences🔹 How leaders can move beyond...2025-03-1034 minAI Trailblazers PodcastBob Heyl Reveals How CareFirst is Using AI to Transform HealthcareHow is AI transforming healthcare and insurance? In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, hosts David Fung and David Samwel sit down with Bob Heyl, Chief Technology Officer at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, to explore how AI is driving digital transformation, intelligent automation, and operational efficiency in healthcare.
Bob shares insights on:✅ How CareFirst is leveraging AI to streamline operations and enhance member experiences.✅ The challenges of balancing AI innovation with regulatory compliance and data privacy.✅ The evolving role of AI agents, automation, and governance in healthcare.
This is a must-listen for anyone...2025-02-0434 min
AI Trailblazers PodcastTrailblazing AI at Bayer with James TurnerIn this episode of the AI Trailblazers podcast, David Fung and David Samwel engage with James Turner, a technology executive from Bayer, to discuss the transformative role of AI and digital technologies in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.
James Turner draws from his extensive expertise in commercial IT and consumer health to share transformative insights on the evolving role of data, the pursuit of operational excellence, and advancements in personalized care. In this engaging discussion, he explores the delicate balance between maintaining compliance and safeguarding data privacy while leveraging AI to drive innovation. With a strong emphasis...2025-01-2740 min